Climatic spatial variability in Extremadura (Spain) based on viticultural bioclimatic indices

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Climatology
• Geostatistics
• Viticulture Science

Background:

• Viticulture suitability assessment relies on understanding spatial temperature variations.
• Existing temperature data and mapping methods are often inadequate for precise wine region zoning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze spatial temperature variability using four indices in Extremadura, a key Spanish wine region.
• To create accurate maps of these temperature indices for improved viticulture planning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized temperature data from 117 stations (1980–2011).
• Employed a geographic information system (GIS) and multivariate geostatistics (regression-kriging).
• Assessed statistical properties and spatial patterns of four temperature-based indices.

Main Results:

• Heat-sum indices correlated with growing season temperature, but regimes differed by index.
• Significant spatial climate variability was found within Extremadura's natural regions.
• Some regions exhibited up to eight distinct climate classes.

Conclusions:

• The findings enhance understanding of viticulture suitability and enable better zoning of homogeneous areas.
• Advanced geostatistics and bioclimatic indices allow for effective within-region climate comparison.
• This data aids in variety selection and assessing new wine production potential globally.